The present invention is directed to an improved absorbant pad, which may be used as a diaper, having particular utility in hospitals, nursing homes and the like.
It is a principal object of the present invention to provide an improved absorbant pad or diaper which comprises a plurality of layers which function together to accommodate large amounts of fluid therein.
A further object of the present invention is to provide such an absorbant diaper including a cushion layer, which comprises a plurality of air cells that are separate from each other and the other layers, to channel liquid flow in the most efficient routing.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a wicking layer on top of the air cell layer that extends over the edges of the air cell layer to direct and improve the liquid flow from the upper surface of the air cell layer to other absorbant layers lying below the air cell layer.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a diaper structure wherein the wicking layer is wrapped completely around the air cell layer.
A still further object of the invention is to provide a diaper structure wherein a liquid impervious layer is attached to or formed on the lower surface of the highly absorbant layer to prevent passage of fluids from the absorbant layer to a supporting structure.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide such an absorbant diaper that is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and which is disposable avoiding the necessity of laundering.
These and other objects and advantages are provided by a diaper comprising a plurality of layers and including at least a pneumatic cell layer, an absorbant wicking layer covering the top of the cell layer and wrapped around at least a pair of edges of the cell layer, a liquid absorbant layer and a bottom liquid impervious layer. The diaper also contemplates a structure where the absorbant wicking layer is wrapped entirely around the cell layer to provide maximum wicking action of the fluid from the cell layer to the absorbant layer below the cell layer.
Other inventors have tried to solve these problems without complete success, such as U.S. Pat. No. 3,468,311, which is directed to an absorbant pad having an air bubble layer in which are provided a plurality of liquid permeable perforations to provide a passageway for fluids therethrough to a lower highly absorbant layer; however, the structure does not provide even flow of the fluid therethrough.
The patented absorbant pad comprises a pneumatic cellular cushion top layer, a liquid absorbant layer and a bottom liquid impervious layer. The upper most layer comprises a pneumatic cellular cushion layer and the bottom layer comprises a liquid impervious plastic sheet with a highly absorbant layer in between the cushion layer and the impervious plastic layer. The top-most layer comprises a pair of plastic sheets assembled to provide a plurality of air or other fluid filled cells which cells are spaced from each other by partition zones formed by sealing opposed surfaces of the sheets together. Between the cells and in the partition walls are a plurality of perforations large enough to permit generally unrestricted liquid flow from the cushion layer to the absorbant layer.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,360,015 is directed to a multilayer absorbant structure having two absorbant layers separated by a grid material and covered on one side by an exterior layer which contacts a wound surface and on the other side by a moisture resistant barrier. The outer wound contacting layer adjacent the absorbant layer may be unwoven. The next grid layer is non-absorbant but has openings through the grid through which fluids to be absorbed passes. The next layer is absorbant material while the exterior layer is a fluid barrier.
Other prior art patents that are of possible interest are: U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,896,618, 3,886,941, 3,889,679, 4,055,180, 4,321,924, 4,323,609, 4,338,371, 4,381,783, 4,411,660.
For a better understanding of the present invention, together with other and further objects thereof reference is had to the following description taken with the drawings and its scope will be pointed out in the appended claims.